Last updated 7 October 2026 by the Ava Travel team in Hanoi. Prices checked on 27 September 2026 on our own booking pages. Ava Travel is a Hanoi travel agency that sells every cruise in this list, so each price below is Ava Travel’s own price per person.
The short answer, using Ava Travel’s own prices: the best Lan Ha Bay cruise for most travellers in 2026 is Peony, from $159 per person for 2 days 1 night. For a brand-new ship pick Celina (built 2026, from $182, $170 in low season), for families Capella (pool, waterslide and an ocean slide), and for a different second day Mon Cheri, which puts you ashore on Cat Ba Island.
Lan Ha Bay sits south of the main Halong route, off Cat Ba Island. It has the same limestone towers with fewer boats at the anchorages, and it is where most of the newer ships now sail: 49 of the 98 ships Ava Travel sells run a Lan Ha itinerary. That choice is the problem, so here are the ten we recommend most, one per type of traveller, with the downside of each.
Quick comparison: the 10 best Lan Ha Bay cruises for 2026
Lowest price per person, two adults sharing, 2 days 1 night, high season (October to April), all meals on board included.
| # | Cruise | Best for | Built | Cabins | From (Ava Travel) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Peony | Best overall value | 2018 | 20 | $159 |
| 2 | Celina | Newest and largest ship | 2026 | 62 | $182 |
| 3 | Capella | Families with children | 2020 | 30 | $225 |
| 4 | Lyra Grandeur | Spa, sauna and new cabins | 2025 | 33 | $245 |
| 5 | Mon Cheri | Balcony on every cabin, Cat Ba cave walk | 2018 | 18 | $180 |
| 6 | Amanda Luxury | History instead of kayaking | 2017 | 20 | $147 |
| 7 | Indochine | Cheapest 5-star on Lan Ha | 2019 | 45 | $139 |
| 8 | Azura | New mid-size ship with spa | 2025 | 30 | $205 |
| 9 | Orchid Premium | Most private (about 10 guests) | n/a | 5 | $375 |
| 10 | Heritage Line Ginger | Small wooden ship, top end | 2006 | 12 | $430 |
Is Lan Ha Bay better than Halong Bay?
For most visitors, yes, if you want quieter water. The scenery is the same kind of limestone karst, but Lan Ha has fewer boats at the kayak and swimming stops, and the newer ships have mostly moved there. It costs a little more: across the ships we sell, the median 2 day 1 night price is $165 per person on Lan Ha against $150 on Halong Bay. Halong Bay still has the most famous caves, such as Sung Sot. More in our guide to Halong Bay vs Lan Ha Bay.
1. Peony: best overall value
From $159 per person at Ava Travel. 20 cabins, built 2018.
Peony is the ship we recommend when someone asks for a good first Lan Ha cruise at a fair price. For 20 cabins the facilities are unusually complete: restaurant, bar, spa, jacuzzi pool and wifi. Balcony cabins are 28 sqm, and the 56 sqm Family Deluxe is sold per room, which makes it one of the best family deals on the bay. Cabin photos and the price for your date are on the Peony Cruise 2 days 1 night page.
Downside: it is older than the 2025 and 2026 ships on the same route.
2. Celina: the newest and largest ship
From $182 per person at Ava Travel, $170 from May to September. 62 cabins, built 2026.
Celina is the largest and newest ship we sell on Lan Ha Bay. Every balcony cabin is 45 sqm, so the cheapest one gives you the same room as the dearest; you pay only for deck position. The gap between seasons is only $12, which makes it good value in December and January when other ships charge their top rate. On board there is a restaurant, bar, spa, sundeck, cooking class and kayaking. Celina is one of ten ships that started sailing in 2026; see them all in new Halong Bay cruises 2026.
Downside: 62 cabins is a big ship, so meals run in sittings and the sundeck gets busy.
3. Capella: best for families
From $225 per person at Ava Travel. 30 cabins, built 2020.
Built for children: a 40 sqm pool and jacuzzi, a waterslide and an ocean slide from the deck into the bay. The 48 sqm Harmony Family Suite takes five people, which is rare on this route. See all family options in our best cruises for families guide.
Downside: high season adds about 18 percent, and there are only a few four and five berth rooms per sailing.
4. Lyra Grandeur: spa, sauna and new cabins
From $245 per person at Ava Travel. 33 cabins, built 2025.
Lyra has a 60 sqm four-season infinity pool with a heated jacuzzi, plus an inflatable slide, a floating sea pool, a spa and a Nordic-style sauna. It has nine cabin types, including a 64 sqm Duplex Family over two levels, the largest family room we sell. It shares its cabin plan with Capella: choose Lyra for the newer ship, the bigger pool and the sauna, Capella for the lower price.
Downside: about $20 more per person than Capella, and family rooms rise sharply in December and January.
5. Mon Cheri: a balcony on every cabin and a walk on Cat Ba
From $180 per person at Ava Travel. 18 cabins, built 2018. Departs Tuan Chau.
Every cabin has a balcony and the smallest is 35 sqm, larger than the entry cabin on most ships at this price. The second day is the reason to choose it: instead of only paddling through Dark and Bright Cave, you go ashore on Cat Ba Island to walk Trung Trang Cave. Day one anchors in the quieter Tra Bau area, and there is a jacuzzi pool on deck.
Downside: the triple cabin is smaller and dearer than the 50 sqm Mon Cheri Suite, so only book it if you really need three beds.
6. Amanda Luxury: history instead of kayaking
From $147 per person at Ava Travel. 20 cabins, built 2017.
The second morning goes somewhere almost no other Lan Ha ship goes: Quan Y Cave on Cat Ba Island, a cave that was fitted out and used during the war. It suits travellers who would rather walk through history than paddle. The 45 sqm Royal Suite costs only a little more than the 30 sqm cabins, so take it if it is free.
Downside: you board by tender from Tuan Chau, the Quan Y visit means a tender ashore plus about 20 minutes by road, and transfer from Hanoi is extra.
7. Indochine: the cheapest 5-star on Lan Ha
From $139 per person at Ava Travel. 45 cabins, built 2019.
The lowest price we sell for a 5-star Lan Ha ship. Its three cabin grades scale properly, from a 32 sqm Junior Suite to a 54 sqm Executive Suite, so each step up buys real floor space. Do not confuse it with Indochine Grand (2025, 32 cabins) or Indochine Premium, which sails Halong Bay.
Downside: a busy 45-cabin ship.
8. Azura: a new mid-size ship with a spa
From $205 per person at Ava Travel. 30 cabins, built 2025.
A 2025 ship with only three cabin types: two 34 sqm balcony suites and a 66 sqm Imperial Suite. With 30 cabins it sits between the big new Lan Ha ships and the small boutique ones, and it has a spa, bar and cooking class.
Downside: there is no middle cabin, and the entry cabin rises about 20 percent in high season. Diana, also 2025 on Lan Ha, is from $178 at one price all year and also has a spa, plus an open-air pool.
9. Orchid Premium: the most private cruise on the bay
From $375 per person at Ava Travel. 5 cabins.
Five cabins means around ten guests. The crew cooks for ten, the sundeck is effectively yours, and activities move when you are ready. Cabins start at 45 sqm.
Downside: roughly double the price of a 30-cabin ship, no pool, and prices hold firm in December and January. Its sister Orchid Cruise (14 cabins, from $220) is the better Orchid for families.
10. Heritage Line Ginger: a small wooden ship at the top end
From $430 per person at Ava Travel. 12 cabins, wooden ship built 2006.
Twelve cabins on a timber hull, the smallest from 37 sqm, every one with a balcony. Meals are cooked to order rather than served in batches, and the second morning goes to Ao Ech, a secluded spot rather than the caves every other boat visits.
Downside: the most expensive ship we sell on Lan Ha. For the same operator’s style at a lower price, look at its larger sister, Heritage Binh Chuan, with 20 suites.
Also worth a look
- Oasis Bay (from $137): the cheapest ship we sell on Lan Ha, a sociable boat with karaoke, a jacuzzi pool and one price all year.
- Aqua Legend (from $161): 21 cabins, every one with a private balcony and a jacuzzi bathtub.
- Stellar of the Seas (from $310): known for its service and kitchen, but cabins are only 28 to 32 sqm. You pay for the running of the ship, not space. There is a panoramic pool on board.
- Elite of the Seas (from $350): the most expensive ship we sell on Lan Ha, with a panoramic pool; the choice when budget is not the question.
- Velar of the Seas (from $165): a small pool on board at a mid-range price, and a swim stop at Tra Bau.
- Ambassador Signature (39 cabins, all with a balcony): if you are deciding between it and the same company’s Halong Bay ship, see Ambassador vs Ambassador Signature.
Compare every Lan Ha ship we sell, with prices, on our Lan Ha Bay cruises page.
Need halal food on board? See the 7 halal-friendly Halong Bay cruises, with what each ship promises in writing and real prices.
Comparing ships on more than price? See every ship’s price per night in Halong Bay cruise prices 2026, and cabin sizes, family, triple and connecting cabins in the Halong Bay cruise cabin guide, both from Ava Travel’s own booking tables.
Frequently asked questions
How much is a Lan Ha Bay cruise?
A 2 day 1 night Lan Ha Bay cruise costs from $137 per person in high season on the ships Ava Travel sells, with a median of about $165. Luxury and boutique ships run from about $200 to $430; we compare ten of them in the best luxury Halong Bay and Lan Ha Bay cruises for 2026. Low season (May to September) is the same or cheaper. See the full Halong Bay cruise cost guide.
Where do Lan Ha Bay cruises depart from?
Most depart from Tuan Chau in Ha Long and sail south into Lan Ha Bay. A few leave from Got Pier, closer to Cat Ba. Each cruise page gives the exact pier and check-in time.
Is Lan Ha Bay less crowded than Halong Bay?
Yes, at the anchorages and kayak stops it is usually noticeably quieter than the main Halong route. It is not empty, because many ships have moved there. For the quietest water, Bai Tu Long Bay takes the fewest boats of the three; see all 10 Bai Tu Long Bay cruises, ranked.
Is 2 days 1 night enough for Lan Ha Bay?
For most travellers, yes. A 3 day 2 night trip adds a full middle day in the quieter parts of the bay and usually costs a little under twice the 2-day price. Many of the ships above sell both. The prices and the day 2 programme are in Lan Ha Bay: 1 night or 2 nights.
Is there a catamaran cruise on Lan Ha Bay?
Not among the overnight cruises Ava Travel sells: none of the Lan Ha Bay ships in the Ava Travel catalogue is a catamaran. If what you want from a catamaran is a small, quiet boat, the smallest ships Ava Travel sells on Lan Ha Bay are Orchid Premium (5 cabins, $375 per person all year), Sunlight Boutique 7 (7 cabins, from $117), Sunlight Premium (9 cabins, from $110), Heritage Line Ginger (12 cabins, from $430, $345 May to September) and Orchid Cruise (14 cabins, $220 all year). Prices are Ava Travel’s, per person for 2 days 1 night, two sharing a cabin.
What is the smallest cruise boat on Lan Ha Bay?
Of the ships Ava Travel sells, Orchid Premium is the smallest, with 5 suites from 45 to 96 sqm at $375 per person all year. Next come Sunlight Boutique 7 (7 cabins, from $117), Sunlight Premium (9 cabins, from $110), Heritage Line Ginger (12 cabins, from $430, $345 May to September) and Orchid Cruise (14 cabins, $220 all year). Fewer cabins means fewer people on deck and in the dining room; the route is similar to the one the bigger ships sail.
Book a Lan Ha Bay cruise with Ava Travel
Choose your date and cabin on the cruise page and pay securely online, and we confirm your cabin and Hanoi pickup within one hour. Transfer from Hanoi is added at checkout if you need it. Not sure which ship fits? Message us on WhatsApp (+84 904 251 545) with your dates, group and budget, and we will suggest two options. To combine Lan Ha Bay with Hanoi, Ninh Binh or Hoi An, ask us for a tailor-made Vietnam tour, priced day by day. Travelling next year? See Lan Ha Bay cruises in 2027, month by month. For Halong Bay and Bai Tu Long ships as well, see the 10 best Halong Bay cruises for 2026.
